Fountain brush



1957 A. A. JOHNSON 2,814,815

FOUNTAIN BRUSH Filed Aug. 16, 1954 FIG.2.

INVENTOR ATTORNEYS United States Patent ()fiice 2,8 l 4 ,8 l Patented Dec. 3, 1 957 FOUNTAIN BRUSH Axel A. Johnson, Holly, Mich.

Application August 16, 1954, Serial No. 450,116

2 Claims. (Cl. 15-128) The present invention relates to a new and improved washing device, and more particularly, to a fountain type washing device adapted for use in washing vehicles, windows, floors, walls and the like.

An object of the present invention is to provide a fountain brush with means located on the brush end thereof for accurately controlling and evenly distributing the supply of water to the brush head.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a fountain type brush wherein the brush head may be quickly interchanged with other types of brush heads.

A still further object of the present invention is the provision of a fountain type brush comprising a minimum of'parts which may be easily assembled and economically manufactured;

Still afurther object of the present invention is the provision of a fountain type brush having improved liquid seals between the junctions of the handle and the brush member as well as around the valve for controlling the water to the brush head.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a fountain type brush which may be quickly and easily disassembled for cleaning and for replacing the brush head or water control valve.

These and other objects of the invention will be more apparent in the following specification, claims and drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective View of the fountain type brush assembly of the present invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged top plan view of the device;

Figure 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional View of the device taken on the line 3--3 of Figure 2 showing the valve for controlling the supply of water in the open position;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary bottom view taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 3, and

Figure 5 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken on the line 55 of Figure 2.

Referring to the drawings wherein like character or reference numerals represent like or similar parts, the fountain type brush of the present invention is comprised of a tubular handle 10, and a brush member attached to one end of the handle and generally indicated by the numeral 12. Tubular handle 10, which is preferably made of aluminum, is provided with a rubber insulating hand grip 14 at one end thereof and a coupling 16 which is adapted to be attached to an ordinary standard type of garden hose for supplying a source of water to the brush member 12. Handle is bent at an angle as indicated at 13 so that the portion of the handle adjacent the brush head 12 is as far away as possible from the object being cleaned. Also, the angled handle allows more direct pressure to be applied to the bristles of the brush. The lower end of handle 10, as shown in Figures 3, 4 and 5, is flattened as indicated at 18. This flattened end portion 18 of handle 10 provides a fiat surface 20 closing one end of the tubular handle at an angle to the axis of the handle. An aperture 22 is provided in the fiat surface 20, this aperture being the discharge aperture for the water supplied through handle 10. The tubular portion of handle 10 immediately above aperture 22 is bent to the shape shown in Figure 3 at 24. By providing a flat surface at 24, a second aperture 26 can be provided in the tubular portion of handle 10 which is in axial alignment with discharge aperture 22. Aperture 26 is of a smaller diameter than discharge aperture 22 as will be explained later in the specification.

Brush member 12 includes a dish-shaped circular cap member 28 which is attached to the end of handle 10 and a brush head 42 which is supported on the cap member. Cap member 28 is provided with elliptical shaped aperture 30 in its dished portion 32 through which handle 10 is inserted from beneath as shown in Figure 3. When the handle 10 has been inserted into cap member 28 and properly positioned with respect thereto, it is then rigidly secured at its flat portion 18 to the cap member by any suitable means such as spot Welding or riveting. As shown in Figure 3, the handle 10 is riveted to cap member 28 by the rivet 34. In order that there will be no leakage of water between the aperture 30 in cap member 22 and the handle 10, asuitable water seal made from an adhesive or the like is applied around the joint between the fiat end portion 18 and the dished portion 32 of cap member 28, as indicated at 36 in Figures 3,4 and 5.

Dish-shaped cap member 28 is provided with a downwardly extending annular peripheral flange 40. A circular brush head 42 is provided with an upwardly extending peripheral flange 44 which is of a slightly larger diameter than the diameter of flange 40 so that it will be adapted to slide over flange 40 when the brush head is positioned on the cap member 28. Brush head 42 is held in place by a resilient rubber retaining ring 46 having a groove 48 on its inner surface. Retaining ring 46 can be expanded and slipped over the cap member 28 and the brush head 42 so as to retain the brush head in detachable relationship with the cap member 28. It will be noted that the planar face 50 of brush head 42 is spaced from the dish portion 32 of cap member 28 so that a water chamber is provided above the brush head. Further, it will be noted that the rubber retaining ring 46 is of such resiliency so as to not only hold brush 42 in place with respect to cap member 28 but will also provide a liquid seal so that water cannot leak out of the chamber between the brush head 42 and cap member 28. Ring 46 has an additional function to those mentioned above in that it acts as a bumper and prevents marring of the surfaces being cleaned by the sides of the brush.

Brush head 42 is provided with a plurality of bristles 52 suitably mounted therein. Also, a plurality of apertures 54 are provided in the body of brush head 42 so that Water will be evenly distributed among the bristles of the brush from the Water chamber above the brush head.

Referring now to Figure 3, it will be noted that a threaded valve stem 56 having a flat head portion 58 is inserted upwardly through apertures 22 and 26. The valve stem 56 is surrounded by a rubber sleeve 60 having a circumferential flange 62 at its lower end which bears against head portion 58. A knurled nut 64 is threaded onto the upper end of valve stem 56 and is retained in its upward position by means of a lock ring or nut 66. As shown in Figures 2 and 3, lock ring or nut 66 is split and is adapted to be frictionally held onto the valve stem 56. Rubber sleeve 60 is of such length that there will always be a pressure exerted by the upper end of the sleeve against the surface 24. By making the sleeve of length sufficient to exert a pressure on surface 3 24 at all times, there will be no leak between the valve stem 56 and the aperture 26.

To operate the valve it-is-merelynecessary to turn the knurled knob 64 and this will allow the valve to open as shown in Figure 3. The lock nut 66 prevents the knurled knob from being'completely ,unthreaded from valve stem 56. It will be noted that in the open-position the rubber sleeve 60, at-its upper end, is in contact with the'surface 24 providing a water seal at this point. When it is desired to close the valve, it is'rnerely necessary to turn the'knob 64 in the oppositedirection and .the valve stem-56 will rise carrying with it the flanged surface 62 of rubber sleeve 60, thissurface sealing against the flat surface 20 of the -end portion 18. This Will close off the water supply at the brushihead.

The terminology used in the specification is for the purpose of description and not' limitation, the scope of the invention being defined in the claims.

I claim:

1. In awashing device of the class described, a tubular handleadapted to be connected at one end thereof to a source of water supply, the other end of said handle being flattened at an angle to the handle and having an aperture in the flattened end portion in communication with the interior of the handle, said handle having an aperture in the tubular portion adjacent the-flattened end in axial alignment with the aperture. in the' flattened end, a dish-shaped circular cap member having a aperture therein through which said tubular handle extends and also having a downwardly extending peripherial'flange, said'cap member being rigidly secured to the flattened end portion ofsaid tubular handle, means for providing a Water seal between the. cap member and said handle where they areconnected together, athreaded -valve stern extending upwardly through the aperture in the flat end portion of said'handle and the aperture in the tubular portion of said handle, said valve stem being provided with a rubber sleeve having an annular flange on its lower end adapted to open and close the discharge aperture in said-flat end portion of said handle, the upper end of said sleeve "bearing against theinsideof said tubua seal therewith when the valve is opened or closed, means threaded onto the upper end of said valve stem for raising and lowering the same to open and close the aperture in the flat end portion of said tubular handle, a brush head having a plurality of bristles, said brush head having a planar upper surface which together with the dished portion of said cap member defines a water chamber when the brush head is imposition, said brush head being circular in shape and provided with a peripheral upwardly extending flange of slightly greater diameter than the diameter of the flange on said cap member whereby its flange surrounds the flange of said cap member when said brush head is in position, means including a plurality of apertures in said brush head for evenly distributing water from said water chamber to the bristles of said brush head and means for detachably holding said brush head in position on said cap member.

2. A device of the character described in claim 1 wherein said means for holding the brush head on said cap member is a resilient rubber ring having an annular groove on its inner surface, said ring being adapted to be expandedover said brush head and; said cap member so as to holdthe same together.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 524,094 Park Aug. 7, 1894 786,985 Nicholls Apr. 11, 1905 1,002,884 Vial .Sept. 12, 1911 1,089,220 Ingram Mar. 3, 1914 1,918,440 White July 18, 1933 2,369,708 Baker Feb. 20, 1945 2,471,855 Bird May 31, 1949 2,644,664 Hansen July 7, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 695,444 Great Britain Aug. 12, 1953 

